Our Nightmare

Sally's Sewing Shop

"I want a sewing shop."

A lot of emotions stir in Jack's ribcage when he hears those words. At first, he's struck with a strange feeling - thinking Sally's heard of the surprise he's been keeping from her all this time! But then she tugs on her hair and looks away, frantically spitting out her next sentences:

"I know it's a big thing to ask, and you have so much on your plate as it is...I - I want to have a shop like the old seamstress did...the Hanging Tree told me I should ask you, and I wouldn't have if-"

" -Sally... " He interrupts quietly. She stops her rambling and stares at him with wide eyes. Her posture is tense and so is his - waiting for whatever will leave his lips. He finds his throat dry as he clears it, desperately trying to think on his feet with how to properly handle this situation.

He's kept it from her this long, hasn't he? He can call that a success on its own! The sewing shop is finished now, and is sitting there in all its glory, waiting for its new owner to open the doors....The timing is almost incredible, the more he thinks about it. He didn't know she had the same idea...how long has she kept this from him?

"Where did you want this new sewing shop to be?" He asks, leaning back and looking at her curiously. She takes some time to think of an answer.

"There is the old one. With a lot of work, I think I can fix the place up..!"

She firmly places her hands on his thighs. He's surprised at the gesture. She pleadingly gazes into his eye sockets. She looks desperate, tears threatening to leave her eyes while her fingers dig deeper into the fabric of his pants. The look she's giving him makes Jack Skellington weak - he knows he would agree to anything she desires at this moment, with how badly it looks like she wants it.

"Please, if you let me, I'll work hard to get the shop up again...I know how to clean, to fix things - I can make it usable. I don't mind if it isn't perfect, I lived in a tower that leaked all the time...it wouldn't even be a bother to me-"

"-Sally."

His tone makes her stop and slowly sink back into her spot. She looks regretful as she sits there and plays with the seams at her wrists. In this silence, he smiles. To hear her willing to work so hard for something she desperately wants...it reminds him of his own determination. He finds it attractive. He feels honored to be the one providing her with something this important to her.

"How about we go to this shop together, and see what we can do from there?" He offers. "I have experience - I could plan and rebuild everything for you."

She's elated at his words. "You...you mean that? I-"

"Why, we shouldn't waste any time at all! How about we go now - before the day is over?"

She doesn't notice the tears streaming down her cheeks until he wipes them away. The cold feeling in her stomach turns into tingles crawling down her body - in the delightful way, of course. She feels... relieved. Happy. To know she'll get what she wants - and Jack will be there to help her. They will work on something together.

She sits in his lap, laying her head on his chest and enjoying his embrace. He wraps his long arms around her figure as they rest there for several minutes. Not exactly how he planned this would go...but it'll work! He feels reassured he didn't even have to say 'no' to her.

The ragdoll is giddy as she skips alongside her Pumpkin King, looking up to grin at him every few minutes or so. Their walk into the Residential part of town is one of patience, but she can't hide how excited she is. She can't stay still for very long - not when everything has been going so well as of late, and how kind her skeleton man has been to her. She makes sure to show him how grateful she is that they're going there together, clutching his hand tightly.